The Equipping the Saints mission appeal includes a 10% tithe to ministries outside of the synod, with the first tithe sent on the total funds received in 2021. The tithe for the leadership initiative was sent to our two global partners. Linda Muth is in El Salvador and received statements from people on the blessings of this additional gift of accompaniment to the Salvadoran Lutheran Church.“Our Endowment Fund has been a gift of God by way of you, our brothers
Four congregations volunteered to serve as First-Round Congregations for Equipping the Saints. St Olaf in Rubicon was the first congregation to conduct the five-week campaign and completed the appeal in early March 2022, exceeding their goal.Pastor Tom Pietz shares the meaning of participating in this mission appeal:“St. Olaf is an uncommonly active, missional church in the countryside between Hartford and Oconomowoc. We are about as far out from Milwaukee as any congregation in our Synod. We are all about partnerships. The Equipping
The Equipping the Saints mission appeal is bringing new life and possibilities to our synod as funds are now being distributed from the Siebert Lutheran Foundation grant and many other initial gifts from synod leaders and first-round congregations. The first large disbursement of funds is being designated for the hiring of a new synod staff position of an Assistant to the Bishop for Authentic Diversity and Leadership. That position has been posted and applications are being received. This new role
As announced at the 2022 Synod Assembly, the Greater Milwaukee Synod has received a grant of $175,000 from the Siebert Lutheran Foundation for the racial equity initiatives of the Equipping the Saints mission appeal. The grant for “Building an Authentically Diverse Church” will help fund the position of an Assistant to the Bishop for Authentic Diversity and Leadership, which is a key initiative in the Investment in Leadership. Siebert grant funds will also subsidize the Authentic Diversity Audit of the
SYNOD FUND FOR INNOVATION & COLLABORATIONGMS Innovation and Collaboration Grants:We believe that God is calling us to work together in new ways. While the need for innovation and collaboration has long been evident, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to embrace technology as part of our everyday church lives in livestream worship and Zoom meetings, and to explore new ways to share information and build community. The videos of police shootings and the subsequent protests throughout our communities raised greater awareness
INVESTING IN RACIAL EQUITYThe cities and communities of Southeast Wisconsin are among the most racially segregated in the nation, with significant disparities that have long been present in our systems and institutions related to health care, the environment, the economy, education, and the church. In order for us to grow in our commitment to becoming an anti-racist church, the Equipping the Saints appeal will invest in a new synod position, an Organizer for Racial Equity. This will initially be a
